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This weekend there was a storm of knitting at my house. I had a ton of downtime, and filled it with miles of stockinette. It may seem boring, but when I feel like all I have is complicated projects on the needles, my brain requires miles of knit one row, purl the next (or better yet, knit in circles for days and days!)
I looked around this weekend and realized that the only projects I had at home were lace or colorwork. I wanted something a little more mindless, so I worked more on Glee for Katie. It's coming along really well, and looks perfectly fuzzy and comfy. I am concerned (as ever) about it being too big, because she's really too small to be real, but everyone who has seen it says it looks good...so we'll see.
This is a bad image of the color, it's really almost black it's so charcoal. I'm pretty happy with how it's coming out, and I only have about 5 more inches total on the body, then I move on to the sleeves (which are only 4 rows of ribbing each!) and then the neckline. I'll need to buy some hook and eye closures at the store. I'm looking forward to calling Katie to tell her that it's complete.
Once I ran out of yarn, I ripped back the Coquette that I'd knit for her (it was, predictably, too big) and washed the yarn to get the kinks out of it. While it was drying, I didn't know what to knit...so I cast on for a vest. Leftovers, by Alison Hansel. It's a nice, simple knit, and utilizes all of the odd yards of worsted weight yarn that I have laying around the house. I think that the colors I chose work well, and I'm trying to break them up, without using any sort of pattern...so we'll see.
The chocolate is nice, and should look good with jeans and a blue button down...which is pretty much how I plan to wear this. I can't wait until it's done, it looks nice and warm.
My husband is out of town until Thursday, and whenever he is gone, I take a break from the television. So I plan to snuggle up in my bed with the cats and knit. I will probably listen to music (since the silence when I'm home alone unnerves me) and may turn on the TV, though I'm trying not to.
I hope that this will be done this week...but while he's gone, I may take advantage of the silence to knit some of my more complicated projects; Irish Diamond, Juno Regina, and Endpaper.
I hope everyone's day was lovely. I cooked for my family, and had a great time. It was actually a relatively low key day, and I enjoyed myself immensely. Now that the rush of the day is over, however, I plan to sit back and knit. I'd like to make some good progress on some pieces I've been working on for the last few months...
As well as some progress on this new project started only a few days ago. It's Juno Regina, from the latest issue of Knitty, by the famous Miriam Felton. It's a lovely pattern, and is in a beautiful yarn - Superior by Filatura Di Crosa - cashmere and silk. Yum.
It is destined for my friend Jen, who is a crocheter, and is making me Blizzard out of Eco Wool. We are knitting these for each other for "Christmas", though we've given each other until April (or longer) to finish them! We crafty people are so practical.
When we last left the Endpaper Mitts, they were a Tangled Mess...they have since become beautiful color work, and I am happy and proud to show the progress on them. I am clearly working the colors in the right places, have made no pattern mistakes (that I am aware of), and my tension is much improved. I am happy.
I should point out that the green is considerably more, well...green in real life. The yarn is leftover from this project, if that helps. I don't know why I've had so much trouble capturing the color. This photo was taken at just over 2 repeats completed...only one more before the thumb gusset. I am enjoying the project so much!
I've gotten about 80% through the Boatneck and I am really pleased with how it's coming out. I like the simple detailing, and the curve hugging silhouette that the ribbing creates. I think this sweater is going to get a lot of wear, with jeans, black skirts and anything else I can pair it with. It has the classic styling that will allow it to transition from casual to more dressy...which is nice in my office. Plus, being 100% wool, it's going to be warm, which I need at work!
I plan to knit the second sleeve this weekend and block this so that I can wear it next week...photo shoot forthcoming. I think I'll go with my black pencil skirt, black striped hose and silver shoes...fun!
I am sorry to report that the Endpaper Mitts met their untimely demise late last night. I knit on them, and played with them, and tried them on, and took them off, and laid them on the couch and pondered their existence and then had a lengthy conversation with my husband and came to the conclusion that I just wasn't happy with them. So I ripped them. And created quite a mess! The yarn was everywhere and it was hard to wind it back into two separate balls, but I did.
Immediately after their death, life sprang forth from the needles again. This time I didn't make the chart mistakes, I kept my stitches tighter and more uniform, and most importantly, I used the contrasting color in the right places! My first mitt is now looking so much better, even though I have only completed one repeat. I think I am going to be happy with my decision to rrrriiiiippppp. Photos are coming as soon as I have something worth showing. :)
I have the Boatneck Bluebell on the needles right now and have completed the body, and I am moving on to the sleeves. I had been waiting to buy needles, but just got my grimy paws on a set of #7 DPN's...so knitting can commence. Here is a photo of the progress when I last worked on it a few days ago.
I am pretty happy with how it is coming out, but I do think it will need to be blocked quite well, as it's a little shorter than I would have liked. If, for some reason, blocking doesn't solve the problem, I'll go back in and knit it longer. That's my new dining room set by the way, a much prettier setting than my old kitchen table...I foresee lots of in progress shots in this setting.
I also have the Endpaper Mitts on the needles...I am SO proud of myself for the way these are coming out. It's my first color work and so far it's been quite easy. I thought that I'd followed the directions, but most of the mitts I've seen have the contrasting and main colors swapped for the color work...which does actually pull out the pattern a little more. I want to perfect the technique and if I don't feel like the pattern is popping enough I'll knit a swatch with the colors swapped and see if it helps. I wouldn't mind re-knitting these, they've been a true pleasure. Eunny scores again!
More photos to come once I have something finished or more solid progress...stay tuned.
